I turned on Fox News the other day. I left it on for most of the day, just listening mostly in the background while I did the house work. Normally I listen to music in that environment but I switched it up. Just so you know I'm a Greenie but I like to listen to everyones views.

I'm Australian & live in Australia but I follow American politics now more than I Aussie pollies. American politics is much like a daily comedy show on TV. In fact the local news here generally starts with the word "Trump" for at least 5 of the 7 days in the week. How can you not laugh when Trump declares himself the world's greatest authority on lawn/grass. Apparently he knows more about grass than any other living human being.

Anyway, back to my original subject Fox News. I actually thought it was a news channel. Sure they did have some news segments & a ticker tape news footer on screen. They mainly had guests on to interview. The subject for the entire day was bashing the Democrats over the Government shutdown. I would estimate the Demo bagging consisted of 90% of the whole day. It was entertaining & enlightening but its not what I'm accustomed to from a news channel/report/show.

I expect some bias from whatever news service I switch onto to. I'm about as open as a person can be & have often changed my opinion on issues because of new evidence or facts or maybe the lack of info. What I'm saying is I'm not hard & fast, one eyed devotee to one idea or ideology. I consider there is blame to attribute to both sides on the "shutdown" issue.

To have a news channel that is almost 100% dedicated to demonising a single political party is just fucking weird. And some of the absurd things they were saying. My Greens Party says some pretty stupid things sometimes that I wholeheartedly disagree with but... Holy Moly

The point of this essay is Fox News isn't actually news & shouldn't be called news. It should be called the Republican channel or the Demo lition channel. We have an equivalent here in Australia...

...I just Googled our equivalent to find out the name of the show here. This is what come up as the first hit... I thought it was pretty funny so I will share it. *"Sky After Dark is designed to be unhinged far right shock jockism. With each “host†trying to outdo the other. Usually they aren’t that bright themselves, but they almost never have guests on who are prepared to challenge them.

If i liked tea instead of coffee, I think most people would be fine with that but if I went around disparaging coffee constantly people would be annoyed. Hey, I've met people who do precisely that with everything they don't like.

Politics is more important than whether you like chocolate or strawberry better. What is also important is civility & fair play. Take Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime Trump supporter. Didn't she just want more action on the release of the E files? Now, according to the right, she's a fucking bitch & a traitor. This is schoolyard bully shit. Really guys? The Fox News people were getting right into her. I've never liked her much but it's the way she's now treated that really bothers me.

I don't think the left has a platform quite the same as the right has with Fox News. Certainly not what I have seen or in the mainstream. That day of listening to Fox News was just nastiness upon nastiness. Saying such exaggerated & ridiculous things. I can imagine how someone could become very agitated against the left if they watched this channel everyday.

I remember, back 2017, when Australia was having the same sex marriage debate & ultimately passed it into law, all the stuff the right was saying like "they will be marrying animals next or trees & everyone will end up gay. A whole bunch of exaggerated crap... just so much stupid shit. I mention this only because it's nearly 10 years on & none of the scary things the right was saying was going to happen ever eventuated. The right never mentions it now.

You almost never hear a Republican speak on politics without being nasty. Be a Republican, by all means, everyone is entitled to choose a side but for fuck sake drop the nastiness. Yeah the left has some crazies too & stupid nasty fuckers but no real comparison guys. In the nastiness stakes, the Reps take the cake by a big margin & I don't understand why it should be like that.

In Australia there is some fierce political rivalry & at times it can get a little fiery but nothing compared to what I witness from the States Other countries like within the UK I don't really know how willing it gets, maybe they are more prim & proper... "settle down old chum"

Maybe we, as Australians, are too laid back, as I find the political landscape in America a bit distressing, amusing sometimes & nearly always interesting but nevertheless distressing at the moment as the country seems to be on the brink of civil war. Mostly perpetuated by the constant aggressive nature of the right or far right.

I'm an outsider looking in & trying to be a neutral observer. I lean left but I'm not beyond acknowledging good polices from the right. It doesn't look good in the States & it keeps heading south. Best of luck people.